Fall Out Boy

With their blend of pop and punk sounds, quirky videos, and an image that doesn’t conform to Hollywood ideals, Fall Out Boy is gaining a reputation for being different from the cookie cutter pop stars that seem to dominate the music scene today. Because of their originality and ability to stand out from the crowd, they are also quickly gaining many loyal fans worldwide.

Fall Out Boy currently consists of Patrick Stump, who is the lead vocalist and guitar player; Pete Wentz, who plays bass, is the backup vocalist, and also pens most of the group’s songs; Joe Trohman, the lead guitarist; and Andy Hurley, the group’s drummer.

After years of playing small gigs, including some in Knights of Columbus Halls, Fall Out Boy first began to experience some success with their musical efforts in 2002, when they released a disc that also featured tunes by the band Project Rocket. The disc, released by Uprising Records, featured three songs from each group, but it was Fall Out Boy’s recordings that received most of the attention.

A full length album release soon followed. Fall Out Boy’s Evening Out With Your Girlfriend was released by Uprising Recordings in 2003, and the boys promoted the album by playing shows in Chicago and surrounding areas. The group’s current drummer, Andy Hurley, joined the band at the time of their debut release, and a second studio album soon followed. Take This to Your Grave would eventually achieve gold status, but initial sales were not impressive.

Wanting to reach a wider fan base, Fall Out Boy signed with major recording label Island Recordings. Their third full length album hit the shelves on May 3, 2005, and the success of the album exceeded all expectations. From Under the Cork Tree included singles like “Sugar, We’re Going Down” and “Dance, Dance,” and was quickly certified double platinum. It helped improve sales for their earlier albums as well, as new fans wanted to hear everything from the group. The band received a Grammy nomination for a 2006 award in the category of Best New Artist. Fall Out Boy toured with big names like Blink 182 and The All American Rejects to promote the album.

Still flying high on the success of From Under the Cork Tree, Infinity on High was released on February 6, 2007. The first single, “This Ain’t a Scene, It’s an Arms Race,” reached the #2 spot on both the UK Singles Chart and the U.S. Hot 100, and topped the U.S. Pop 100. The album reached #1 on the Billboard 200, and sold over a quarter of a million copies in its first week.

To promote their latest album, Fall Out Boy will be performing with the Honda Civic Tour, which will also feature the bands +44, Paul Wall, and Cobra Starship. They recently appeared on Carson Daly’s talk show, as well The Ellen DeGeneres Show, and have been confirmed as an act for the Live Earth concert scheduled in 2007. Designed to raise awareness about climate change, the concert will feature many top performers like Red Hot Chili Peppers, Kanye West, Korn, John Mayer, and The Police, among many others.

There has been no word as of yet when Fall Out Boy will release their next album. If they continue to experience the same level of success in the future, however, it looks like Stump and the boys could be making music together for many years to come.

YUDDY